106 The Clash of Cultural Values and Ideas in an Industrializing Era

1877–1917

A critic for the New York Times warned readers attending the 1913 Armory Show of international modern art that they would be entering “a stark region of abstractions” with paintings “hideous to our unaccustomed eyes” and “revolting in their inhumanity.” The bold experimentation that Cubists and postimpressionists showcased in 1913 rejected prevailing cultural norms of the nineteenth century, overturning convention in favor of “modern” cultural values. The clash of realism with modern art symbolized but one cultural revolution witnessed during these years. The conflicting ideas, beliefs, and creative expressions of the period affected not only art and literature, but also broader philosophical, moral, and scientific ideas touching on gender, race, and ethnicity. Shaped by the growing influence of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection, philosophers and social scientists adapted his insights related to biology and the natural world to promote a sociology that exalted struggle as the means to effect progress. This strict and exacting philosophy rewarded the victor with assurances of his superiority while justifying the fate of those at the bottom. The period’s changing cultural values defined the era, as individuals sought to understand the implications both for themselves and for society as a whole.